NW Sports

Batum not yet cleared to practice

After their first day off since the start of training camp, the Portland Trail Blazers returned to practice Sunday morning at their facility in Tualatin. Some updates …

– Nicolas Batum continues to watch practice from the sidelines as he waits for the symptoms of a concussion suffered on October 8 to completely subside. Batum said he would have like to have practiced with the team on Sunday but was disallowed due to headaches, one of the most common side effects of concussion.

“I did a couple tests, came back on the floor to get some shots, because that’s the NBA protocol, I think,” said Batum. “I wanted to practice this morning but still got some headaches so I can’t to anything. I have to be, like, symptom-free to even, like, start running.”

Batum said he hoped to pass the tests required by the NBA’s concussion protocols on Monday and then return to full-contact practices on Tuesday, which is also the same day the team will travel to Utah to take on the Jazz on Wednesday.